Corris Railway joins Great Little Trains of Wales group
THE Corris Railway has brought membership of the Great Little Trains of Wales up to a dozen.
GLTW secretary Ray Reid said: “The GLTW was started in 1970 to encourage visitors to come to Wales in general and to ride the narrowgauge railways in particular. The addition of the Corris Railway to the existing 11 railways makes the GLTW's discount and gold cards even better value and a must-have for anyone intending to visit several of the railways during the year.”
Corris chairman Richard HamiltonFoyn said: “When the preservation of the Corris Railway started in 1966, the pioneer volunteers had nothing but one decrepit building to work on. Since then, we have purchased land, restored the infrastructure, laid track and built a completely new train with modern recreations of the original Corris Victorian carriages and a Corris steam locomotive.
“As we move into the next phase of the development of the railway with a second steam locomotive, a new station in Corris and a southern extension, we are delighted to have been invited to join the GLTW organisation. We are ready to contribute to the future prosperity of all of the Great Little Trains here in Wales.”
The inclusion of the Corris Railway brings the consortium to 12 and adds further prestige to this already world-renowned brand. Among its members, GLTW boasts the oldest independent railway company in the world, one of Europe's most exciting railway projects, and some of the most recognisable engines on the planet – including enthusiasts' favourite Russell.
Early closure
The 2ft 3in gauge line, the origins of which date back to the 1850s, was initially built to carry slate from the quarries at Corris Uchaf and Aberllefenni in the Dulas Valley.
The railway was closed in 1948 by BR in the immediate wake of nationalisation, and while the world's volunteer-led operational heritage railway movement began at the nearby Talyllyn Railway in 1951 – with the aid of two Corris locomotives – the latter line was ripped up by scrapmen and escaped the attention of revivalists for another decade and a half.
Today it operates regularly with a mix of steam and diesel traction between Maespoeth and Corris, and has plans to extend its operations.
The GLTW dozen now comprise the Talyllyn, Llanberis Lake, Ffestiniog, Welsh Highland, Welshpool & Llanfair, Vale of Rheidol, Brecon Mountain, Bala Lake, Welsh Highland Heritage, Snowdon Mountain, Fairbourne and Corris railways.
➜ For £15, the GLTW discount card gives holders a 20% discount on the price of a return journey on all 12 member railways, valid for one year from the first date of use. There are also discounts for cardholders with selected accommodation providers close to many member railways. Cards are available at booking offices and online at www. greatlittletrainsofwales.co.uk